Sound absorbing construction



Mmh29,193.r4 L, HMECDONALD 2,112,631

SOUND ABSORBING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 29, 1938. H, MacDoNALD 2,112,631

SOUND ABSORABING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN-ron 49 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED y STATES PATENT OFFICE Lionel H. MacDonald, Kansas City, Mo., assignor ol' forty-five per cent to H. Kenneth Taylor Application January 6, 1936, Serial No. 57,690

8 Claims.

This invention relates to sound-absorbing construction of a type consisting of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms supportingly facing sound-absorbing material and employed as a lin- 5 ing or covering for the walls and ceilings of auditoriums, theatres, oces and other rooms for improving acoustical conditions therein.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide Ya cover or presentable iinlshed l surface of this character wherein the diaphragms are readily fabricated and capable of being quickly installed in such a manner that the exposed faces thereof are assured of being located in the same common plane after installation is l completed.

Other important objects o f the invention are to provide a diaphragm construction wherein the attaching means is concealed, to provide a substantially flexible diaphragm construction which does not resist movement responsive to sound waves, to'provide a cover which when assembled has the appearance of tiling or sheets, etc., to provide for attaching the diaphragme without the use of screws, bolts, or other threaded fastening devices, and to provide a construction wherein the sound-absorbing material does not interfere with painting of the diaphragms or the paint with the absorbing qualities of the material.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1`is a perspective view of a portion of a ceiling equipped with a sound-absorbing structure embodying the features of the present invention, a. part of one of the diaphragm units being broken away to better illustrate its construction. 'f

Fig. 2 is a section through the sound-absorbing structure at a point adjacent one of the side walls.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the diaphragm units prior to insertion of the sound-absorbing material.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the furring strips to which the diaphragm units are attached'.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view showing a modied form of flange construction for the diaphragm unit.

` Fig. l is a detail perspective view of a modied form of diaphragm unit.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section through a soundabsorbing structure employing the diaphragm unit shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of furring strips as used in connection with the diaphragm 5 v units illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a further modified form of diaphragm. l

Fig. 11 is a detail section through a soundabsorbing structure employing the diaphragm 10 unit shown in Fig. 10.

Referring more inldetail to the drawings:

I designates a sound-absorbing structure as applied to the lceiling 2 of a room, and which includes a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous dial5 phragm units 3 that are supported in spaced relation to the ceiling 2 by means of furring strips 4, later'described. The units 3 are preferably constructed of relatively thin 'gauge sheet material capable of being self-supporting when formed 20 into a completed unit. The unit 3 includes a at rectangular diaphragm portion 5, having a plurality of apertures 6 to form a foraminous surface capable of movement responsive to sound Waves and to permit sound energy to pass through 25 the unit.

The side and end edges of the diaphragm are broken upwardly and outwardly, as at 1, at an angle to the foraminous portion, and then upwardly, as at 8, to formbevelled edges and lateral 30 side flanges 9-I0 and end edges II-I2. If del sired, the intermedlateportion of the diaphragm may be provided with a V-shaped groove- I3 which cooperates with the bevelled edges of the unit to assimilate tiling when the units are con- 35 nected in juxtaposed assembly, as later described.

The side flanges 9 and I0 and the end flange I2. are of sulcient depth to enclose a sheet of sound-absorbing material I4, but the end flange 40 Il is of slightly greater depth and terminates in a lateral attaching iiange I5 having spaced slotted openings I6 and I1 adjacent the ends thereof.

The end ange I I alsohas spaced slotted openings I and I9 located substantially midway the 45 lheight thereof and which may be located in approximate alignment with openings IB and I1. The opposite end ilange I2 has outstruck tongues or lips 20 and 2l which align with and are adapted to engage in the slots I8 and I9 of an adjacent 50 unit as later described, the tongues 20 and 2| being located at a sumcient height relatively to the slots I8 and I9 that the lower faces of the diaphragms will align in the same plane when the units are juxtaposed. l 65 'toprovideamplepassageofthesoundenergyto y of the diaphragm units, as illustrated in Figs.

I1 tive the sound-absorbing material, but are of such a siseastopreventcioggingbypaintorother decorative effects applied to the exposed surface of the diaphragm as in customary practice.

In order to space the sound-absorbing material from contact withthe inner surface of the diaphragm. the flanges thereof may be provided withspacedinstrucklips 22 forsupporting-the edges, of the sound-absorbing material. Ihis is van important feature, particularly in the case where hairy or feit-like sound-absorbing material is employed, as it prevents the strands thereof from projecting through the perforations to interfere with painting, and prevents the paint from coating anyy of the sound-absorbing surfaces of the material Il. 1

'I'he diaphragm units thus constructed are of sumcient rigidity to be, in themselves, self-supporting, but they have maximum iiexibility to allow movement responsive to sound waves to thereby enhance their sound-absorbing and deadening qualities when used` in connection with the sound-absorbing material.

The sound-absorbing material il may be of any suitable nature, but is preferably of sheet or pad form so that it is self-supporting when seated upon the instruck lips 22 of the diaphragm.

Ihe furring strips l are preferably of structural shapes, for example those illustrated in Pigs.1,2andareofI-beamcrosssectionand are formed of a single sheet metal strip bent to provide horisontal anges 2l and 24 and a eonnectingwebll. Oneofthewingsll ofthe horizontal (flange 2l is cut'outwardly at spaced points along the length thereof to provide tongues 21 having substantially the same length as the width of the slots It andfli, the tomues bent downwardly below the lower face of flange to form keeper loops through whi fastening device, such as a nail or pin 2 beextendedtosecuretheattachingflangesl 2 and 3.

The spacing of the slots il rela 4 the widthsoftheunitsandtoeachother such that when the unitsare placed in posed position the loop-shaped tongues equally spaced along the .length of the strip `ilange. n

In assembling a sound-absorbing structure' enploying the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to Sinclusive, acoustical correction,

the lengthV ofthe diaphragm units. 'lhe dia- Dhragms are then assembled withthe sound-abupon the cove strip and the attaching a'nges Il engaging the under face of the furring strip so that the loop tongues thereon project through the openings I l and I1. Suitable nails or pins 2l are then inserted through the projectingv por- I tions of the loops to :engage the under faces of the attaching nanges, as best illustrated in Fig. 3.

The units are thus keyed to the furring strips without bolts, screws or other threaded fastening devices,`and are readily use of tools.

After the first row of units is installed, the

applied without the next row is applied by inserting the tongues 2l and 2i thereof into the openings il and il that are provided in the flanges H of the units already in lace. When the tongues Il and 2| are thus engaged, the lower faces of the units will align in the same plane. 'I'he tongues thus support one end of the next row of umts from rthe units already in place, and the opposite ends of the units are keyed to the next adjacent furring strip by inserting the pins 2l through the pro- Jecting portions of the loop-shaped tongues. The

structure is thus built up until the ceiling is completely covered, after which cove strips 3i are applied to the remaining side and end walls oi 'Ihe units, when thus installed, have the appearance of block-shaped tiles and may be painted or decorated in any suitable manner .without interfering with their sound-absorbing properties.

when the mund-absorbing stl-mure n to be" installedinanewbullding,tbe furringstripsmay -be incorporated as a part of the building structure,andsospacedthat theywill conform tothe size of the sound-absorbing units.

In Figs. 8. 'I andaisshownamodiiled form of unit wherein the attaching flange l2 forms a continuation of a corresponding end :lange 33. and is provided with rectangular shaped openings u and 8l corresponding to the openings it and Il described in connection with the preferred form of the invention. l

The lower portion of the end ilange vIl is provided with openings Il and 31, corresponding to the openings I8 and Il previously described, and which-are engaged by tongues 3| andllontheoppositeendiiange 4l ofan adjacent unit. 'Ihe furring strips 4i are shown as comprising T-shaped members having attaching ilanges l2 and a depending web ll provided with instruck loop-shaped tongues M sothat when the units are assembled with the ilanges l2 engaging against the sides of the depending webs 43, the tongues will pass throughthe openin'gsllandltobekeyedbypins. The

construction is 'otherwise substantially the same as that shown in the preferred form of the invention.

mmsandahsnmafunnermodmed form of diaphragm unit wherein the unit compris a foraminated sheet of nbre, fabric, compositionboardmetaLorthelike Il. toone edge of which are secured substantially Z-shaped clipsl'landllhavingiiangesllthatareriveted or otherwise attached to'the diaphragm, and anchoring iianges l. that are connected thereto by webs Il. 'lhe anchoring flanges 'Il have openings I! for engaging the loop-shaped tmguesofthefurringstripsinthesamemannerasthepreferredformoftheinventiomand thewebshaveopeningsllforengagingthe tonguesllofclipslltbatarerivetedorotherwiseattachedtothsoppositeedgeofthedia-- phragm. In this form of the invention the sound-absorbing material 56 may be supported directly on the upper faces of the diaphragm sheets as shown in Fig. 10, or spaced therefrom by suitable spacers (not shown) The form of tongue shown in Fig. 6 is substantially the same as that in the preferred form of the invention, however the tongue 51 is instruck from within the body of the end iiange so that the upr edge 58 thereof is continuous across the width of the unit.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a sound-absorbing structure wherein the units are readily assembled in juxtaposed position, and that when the units are installed the lower faces thereof automatically align in the same common plane. While I have particularly illustrated and described my invention' as being applied to a ceiling structure, it is obvious that it may be applied to the walls or other parts of the building without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.In a sound-absorbing construction of the.

character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, a sheet of sound-absorb* ing material supported by and covering eachl diaphragm, ianges on the diaphragms vhaving tongues and slots respectively whereby the tongues on one diaphragm engage in the slots of an adjacent diaphragm, one of said iianges extending between adjacent sheets of sound-absorbing material and projecting therefrom in the direction of the furring strips, attaching flanges on the projecting anges and having openings for engaging the projecting loop portions of the furring strips, and pins extended through said loop portions for supporting the diaphragms.

2. In` a sound-absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, attaching iianges on the diaphragms and having openings for engaging over the projecting loop portions of the furring. strips, and means extended through said loop portions for supporting the diaphragms on the furring strips whereby said diaphragms have direct connection with the furring strips.

3. In a sound-absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, flanges on the diaphragms having tongues and slots respectively whereby the tongues on one diaphragm engage in the slots of an adjacent diaphragm one of said ilanges having openings projecting over the projecting loop portions of the furring strips, and pins extending through said loop portions for directly keying each diaphragm to a furring strip.

4. In a sound-absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed diaphragms, means extending through said loop portions and engaging portions of the diaphragms for keying the diaphragms to the furring strips, and sheets of sound-absorbing material supported above the diaphragms and underlying the fur- `ring strips to insulate transmission of external sound through the furring strips to the diaphragms.

5. In a sound-absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, clips on the diaphragms having tongues and slots respectively whereby the tongues on one diaphragm engage in the slots of an adjacent diaphragm one of said clips having openings extending over the loop portions of the furring strips, and pins extending through said loop portions for keying the diaphragms to the furring strips.

6. In a sound absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring members, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, a sheet of sound absorbing material Isupported by and covering each diaphragm, slotted flange members on one edge of the diaphragms and extending between adjacent sheets of sound absorbing material in the direction of the furring members, tongues on opposite edges of the diaphragms arranged to engage in the slotted iiange members of an adjacent diaphragm, one of said members having projecting loop portions and the other openings for engaging the projecting loop portions, and meansv extended through said loop portions for Supporting the diaphragms.

'7. In a sound absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring strips having projecting loop portions, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, a sheet of sound absorbing material supported by and covering each diaphragm, clips fixed to the respective edges of the adjacent diaphragms and having tongues and slots respectively whereby the tongues on the clips carried by one diaphragm engage in the slots of the clips carried by an adjacent diaphragm, one of said clips having a portion extending between adjacent sheets of sound absorbing material and terminating in.attaching flanges having openings Yengaging the projecting loop portions of the furring strips, and pins extended through said loop portions for supporting said diaphragms.

8. In a sound absorbing construction of the character described, spaced furring members, a plurality of juxtaposed foraminous diaphragms, a sheet of sound absorbing material supported by and'covering each diaphragm, clips xed to the respective edges of adjacent diaphragms and having tongues and slots respectively whereby the tongues on the clips carried by one diaphragm engage in the slots of the clips carried by an adjacent diaphragm, one of said clips having an attaching flange member, one of said members aving openings and the other projecting loop portions engaging within the openings, and pins extending through the loop portions for suspendingly supporting the diaphragms.

LIONEL H. MACDONALD. 

